A Shadow Reborn: The Waker's Shadow
by Shadow-TheLastHero
Summary: It began in the age of the Hero of Time. A shadow girl with a lust for blood, sent to murder the Hero. But it didn't go as planned. Moments before the final strike was dealt, the ancient Sages of that time dragged her to their realm. Not wishing to waste her potential, she was wiped of all memory, sent 100 years forwards to assist a different Hero. The Hero of the Winds needs it...
1. Introduction

_Have you every heard of the shadow girl, ally of Heroes, unlikely savior? Probably not. No one of any time wishes it to be known they owe their lives to a monster. I may have fought side-by-side with multiple Heroes, but all that I helped save either were ignorant of my existence, or knew instinctively my origin and natural 'instinct'. To kill, to harm. Nothing but another tool of Ganondorf's…_

_I'm not on his side, despite what you may think. Not any more. He marked me as no longer his creation, but none seem to notice. They never realize that the Heroes might've struggled without my help, so claim the Sages. They don't see the times I defend their own kind from death, only the spurts of uncontrollable violence. It's a lonely life, accepted by none and shunned by all._

_I am here merely to recount my side of the tale, along with the view of those that traveled with me. Still granted the chance to visit those I've come to know as friends, I've pieced together the different parts to be able to recount my story._

_Be warned, do not expect this to be the average fairytale of heroes, with princesses locked in a tower and the prince rescuing and falling in love with her. No, there is a princess, but no tower. No prince. No 'happily-ever-after'. This is a story of a girl, dragged from a time she knows, where she knows her place and what she's meant to do, to the time of others and forced to fight beside Heroes whose descendant she nearly killed._

_Now, do you wonder who I am? I am the shadow girl, sent to lands of sea and twilight, and the home of the Fourswordsman. My friends know me as Shadow, but I do not consider you among them. To you, well, I guess you probably won't need to speak to me by name, as we're the only ones here._

_I'm a dweller of shadows. I can see even now my appearance disturbs you. As you can tell, I've survived my multiple adventures, but not without an almost unhealthy amount of injury. I've spat into the face of Death, having been dangerously close to being dragged from this world by him on multiple occasions, just as your Hero has. I used to be one of the Shadow Realm, but I'm one of the few that broke my last ties to that world. Most of my kind would've killed you a long time ago, without asking any questions. If you fear the dark, then you have good reason. Most like me stalk through the shadows, awaiting their next prey and then murdering without the slightest hint of guilt. I'm one of the few that broke the last ties to the Shadow Realm – more or less… Consider yourself lucky._

_Now that you now my name, let's go back to my origin. The start of this surprising story. The first time I was nearly killed, but certainly far from the last._


	2. How It All Began

**You may be wondering why, after having this story completed for so long, I'm updating it. Well, I decided my old chapters needed a bit of updating. And by a bit, I mean completely remaking them. I'm redoing my 'A Shadow Reborn' stories, partially so I get motivation to continue it, and partially because my writing has improved a bunch. I'm keeping the main plot of the stories, but I'm changing a lot of aspects. At this point I also realized how Mary Sueish it was of my main character in the original prologue, so enjoy the new chapter and I had a reviewer point out that POV changes interrupted the flow, so hopefully no more of those. :D**

Prologue

Angrily flicking off a stray bit of debris that had found its way onto my shoulder, I pushed through the last few feet of forest. Glad to finally have a proper view of the sky after days of wandering those Goddess-forsaken woods, I nearly broke cover and revealed myself before remembering that I wasn't supposed to be seen. I froze, one hand outstretched halfway towards a branch that barely hid me with its scant amount of leaves. I strained my ears for cries of alarm or surprise, but none came, so, with the utmost of care, I edged back into the forest a few steps.

My eyes immediately found the person I had been sent after. My summoner had timed things perfectly, in the middle of a brief visit to his old home in the forest where the fewest number of guards would be keeping a close watch on the one who ratted out my summoner. I curled my lip in disgust, partially due to his blatant lack of awareness but also in part because of the loathsome meaning attached to the phrase 'my summoner'. I swore, as soon as this was over, no person or thing would hold sway over me. I just needed to kill this brat and be done with it.

"Easier said than done," I muttered to myself, eyes tracking my target's movements as the sun began to slip past the horizon and he began to head back towards his old home. Only one night he would stay before his precious princess would call him back to the castle. But one night would be all I would need. Then he wouldn't be able to return to the castle ever again.

Just one night and one kid stood between me and free will.

He would quickly learn it's a bad idea to stand in my way.

* * *

><p>I had waited for hours to make sure every Kokiri was asleep before I crept from my spot within the forest. I looked up at the huge open window in the back of his house and contemplated climbing up the back of the house to go through that into his house, then decided that would look too suspicious. Hiding in plain sight, as it were, was what I opted for instead, climbing up the ladder at the front. I remained tense, though, in case someone saw me and called up an alarm.<p>

However, no one was awake, as I had waited to ensure, and the Kokiri were far too trusting anyways. My target was no different in my mind, raised by these soft-hearts. On soft feet I walked across the porch and slipped into his house. It took a moment before my eyes adjusted to the lack of light compared to the moonlight outside, but it took only a moment for me to realize I had walked into a trap.

In the near-pitch-blackness I made out the faint blurry outline of my target, Link. He had been waiting, perched at the foot of his bed, obviously expecting me to have crept in from the window, but he quickly snapped his head around as I entered. My eyes had just gotten used to the darkness when he pounced at me, grabbing me by the shoulders and sending us both tumbling through the entryway. I suppressed a hiss of pain as our roll ended with him slamming my head into the wood of his porch, him on top with a hand firmly pinning each shoulder. He opened his mouth to say something, but I curled my legs up against my chest and kicked him as hard as I could, sending him back into his house. Jumping to my feet and remaining low in a crouched position, I slipped a dagger from my belt and waited for him to reemerge. I didn't have to wait long before he came at me again, this time carrying sword and shield. He swung at me but I bounced out of range, preparing to sneer an insult at his reckless attack. That was interrupted, though, as one foot slipped off the edge of the porch and I barely managed to catch myself before landing headfirst on the ground, instead landing jarringly on my back, breath knocked out of me.

"Who are you?" Link snapped, sliding down the ladder and hopping off halfway down, landing much more gracefully, on his feet, as I slowly recovered.

Deciding now was the time to change my approach I sheathed my dagger, wincing as I held up both hands as if in defeat, saying, "Just a simple thief, can't you tell?"

I knew the lie would be seen through easily, but Link's brief hesitation as he thought of how to get the truth out of me was the only time necessary for me to pull out my own sword and shield, teeth bared in a sneer before I dashed at Link. He wasn't caught off guard, however, as I had hoped he'd be, but instead matched my sword with his own, blocking it while he simultaneously swung his shield around in an attempt to slam it into my temple.

On instinct I bounced backwards, the rough wood grazing my forehead and leaving a ragged wound there. I wiped the already-flowing blood with my sword arm before hissing, "You'd better have more than that, Hero, if you wish to last through the night."

He didn't respond, just twirled his wrist, spinning his sword in a circle, a motion I imitated shortly after. A flash of realization seemed to appear in his eyes for a moment before he came at me again, turning around for a heartbeat and then stepping around to bring his sword in a wide arc. My shield barely came up in time to block the surprisingly fast attack that left my left arm tingling from the force. Before he could recover I shot in a quick blow of my own, my sword slicing across his stomach, the only spot I could hit before he recovered from his attack.

Shaking my head to clear my eyes of the blood still running from my forehead, I didn't see his next attack, similar to his earlier attempt to clip me in the side of the head. This time was much more effective as he bashed the pommel of his sword into my temple and I was sent staggering, head swimming after the hit.

"Not so tough now, eh?" he taunted as I regained my bearings.

I smirked at him, letting my shield drop to the ground and then beginning to reach for my dagger. I moved quickly, spitting, "You're gonna learn just how wrong you are," before allowing my sword to drop as well, tossing the weapon to my other hand before pulling it back to throw it. Link had a total 2 seconds to react as it went flying towards him and, on instinct, he began raising his shield he had allowed to sit relaxed at his side. Luckily for me, my dagger was a split-second faster, but luckily for him his instinct included turning slightly to the side and, instead of impaling his stupid heart, it only buried itself deep into his shoulder. His shield arm was rendered useless as I leaned down, this time picking up my sword and again going for him.

Once again our blades clashed, but instead of trying to out-power him - which I doubt I could do with our even strength - I rolled and ducked under our crossed swords, ramming his chest with my back and shoulders. Having expected the power-struggle, Link posed little resistance to my shove and he landed on the ground. I quickly flipped over, my hand automatically and rather unceremoniously wrenching the dagger out of his shoulder and I saw him grit his teeth in pain, holding in a cry of his own.

Running the tip of my dagger in circles across his chest, face lowered but eyes looking up at him as he tried to get up. Two rapid blows with my free hand, one to the throat and one to the chest, left him gasping for breath long enough for me to raise my dagger in my right hand and growl indistinctly at him. He barely recovered as I began to plunge the dagger towards his heart, but when the blade was mere inches from its target and I was mere moments from killing Link…

Everything went black.

* * *

><p>When my vision came back, my dagger, still in hand, finished its downward motion, clanging into rough stone instead of the warm flesh that it had been meant for. I brought it up closer to my face, wondering if somehow this thing had done… something? A fairly young, feminine voice quickly shut my mind from that thought as it spoke something in a low voice I couldn't make out. Instantly I jumped to my feet, turning to face the Sages, eyes narrowed and teeth bared. I glared at each one in turn, regretfully realizing that I wouldn't be able to kill any of them.<p>

"What did you do?" I spat instead, fingers white from the death grip I had on my dagger.

"What do you think we did?" the Kokiri girl retorted in an infuriatingly calm voice.

"The only thing I'm thinking of right now is the best way to murder all six of you for getting between me and freedom." Another growl rumbled in my throat, but I swallowed the low sound, realizing how I must appear now. A seemingly stupid, half-crazed creature of Ganondorf's, stained with both her own blood and the blood of the Hero Link. I didn't know if I wanted the Sages to underestimate me or if I'd rather them not group me with the stupider of Ganondorf's creations.

The Sage of Fire seemed to assume the former as he grunted, "I don't think we'll get anywhere with it. We should just destroy it now."

The comment only served to flare my temper even more and I turned to stare the Goron in the eye, snapping, "I'm not an _it_. And if you try, I think you'll quickly realize I'm not that easy to get rid of." I nervously fingered the dagger in my hand, considering attempting to throw the blade at one of the Sages before they could destroy me. As the silence dragged on, the idea seemed more and more appealing until the Sage of Light, spoke up, surprising me as she currently stood behind me. My dagger fell to the ground with a brief sound as she said, "The instant that blade leaves your hand towards any of us, you can be sure you won't last another minute."

I whirled around to snap at the Gerudo but was interrupted by yet another sage, the Goron speaking up again as he questioned, "Why not we kill it anyways? While your plan _might_ work, the risk is so high that we'd be mad to try it," the second half addressed towards the Sage of Forest.

"While that may be so, it's worth a shot, and without her the future of Hyrule may be at stake," she replied calmly to the fidgety Goron.

With a low growl under my breath, before any of them could continue I snapped, "Stop talking about me like I'm not here or brain dead," bending down to retrieve my dagger which I quickly replaced on my belt as the Gerudo watched with a dark expression on her face. "What is this 'plan', what 'risk' are you taking, and most importantly, how do I fit into all this? Because if I didn't fit into this I would be dead by now."

Expecting the reply to be from the Sage of Forest or Fire, I was surprised to hear a low voice come from the Sheikah as she explained, "Our plan that you so desperately wish to know about is focused on you, in fact. Saria decided that, instead of just killing you we use you instead to see if your strength could be put to use."

"And how do you plan to accomplish that?" I questioned, regretting the words right away as I realized this 'plan' was likely the only reason I was alive right now.

"Well," the Shiekah replied, "We plan to send you to the time of a different Link, a different Hero."

"And why are you telling me?" I pressed despite the potential risk that they'd get sick of my questions.

To answer my last question was the Zora who had yet to speak until then. "We never said we would be sending your memories with you."

I reacted on pure instinct at that, reaching for my dagger and pulling it back to throw, hoping to end at least one Sage. I wasn't able to finish the motion, though, as something hit me in the back, knocking me down onto my hands and knees. I was confused for a moment as none of the Sages had moved, but then I realized what exactly had happened as I watched one of the Sages launch a ball of light magic at me. In an attempt to avoid it I rolled to the side, but another Sage must have expected that and a different attack hit me, pain exploding from my side. "Is this how you're going to have your great plan work?" I spat at the Kokiri. "By trying to kill me?"

"Not kill," she corrected. "Just keep you still long enough to do this."

I was about to ask her what she was talking about but then flashes of light exploded behind my eyes, leaving me dazed. I heard someone say something, but nothing registered and I struggled to keep from collapsing on the ground. The attempt was futile, though, and my vision grew blurry before fading to white and then pitch black.


	3. Chapter 1

**Review!**

**WildheartTheWarrior – Thanks, Wildheart! Ya, I know I change POVs a lot… X.X It's kind of become part of this series for me, though, since I did it through the first FanFic.**

Chapter 1

Unknown's POV

My breath was rapid as I glanced from the corner of my eyes at the sword held at my throat, at first ignoring my attacker. Then, as my gaze flicked upwards, I felt a small sensation of deja vu, looking at the green-garbed kid keeping me pinned. He seemed awfully familiar, as if I'd seen him some time in my life. Though I don't know how I would know that, since I must've gotten amnesia or something.

"Who are you? Or… _what_ are you? And why are you here?" he questioned, eyes burning with anger.

"I'm not telling you! And I'm not a what!" I snapped back, meeting his eyes and baring my teeth.

As I gave my indignant answer, he pressed his sword harder against my throat. Then, seeming to have realized he'd get nowhere killing me, he pulled his sword back and instead of threatening me any longer, knocked me out with a hard blow to the head.

* * *

><p>As my eyes blinked open again, I raised my hand to my head, wincing as it touched the spot where the kid had hit me. "Owww…" I mumbled, glancing around for my attacker. My eyes narrowed as I saw him and I reached for my sword, but found myself unable to do so. I glanced over my shoulder and let out a growl of frustration when I realized he had tied my wrists together. And, upon taking a second glance at the kid, I realized it would've been useless if they hadn't been tied, as he was holding my sword and looking it over.<p>

"Where am I?" I asked him, tone harsh and demanding.

"Outset Island," he replied calmly, ignoring my attitude.

"What is that?" I questioned further, thinking to myself, _No wonder it smells like fish around here._

However, he ignored my second question, instead telling me, "The name's Link. What's yours?"

The name of this kid struck a bell, another sense of deja vu passing me. Then, without thinking, I answered, "Shadow." I didn't realize the mistake until the word was already out of my mouth. I wondered how Link would react to such a strange name. But all he did was say, "Well, welcome to Outset, then, Shadow."

After a moment of hesitation I asked, "Would you mind untying me? Or do you think I'm gonna kill you first chance I get?"

"Well, seeing as what you did before I knocked you out…"

"I was running _away_ if you hadn't noticed!" I retorted.

"Fine," he said, a playful light in his eyes. He went around behind me and quickly set to work on undoing my binds. As soon as they were free I asked, "Can I have my sword, too?"

With a sigh of exasperation he handed me the sword, and as soon as I had my hands on it I stuck it in its sheathe and got to my feet, glancing around before choosing a random direction and heading that way. I heard Link ask what I was doing, but I ignored it, heading into the forest again. I stopped short, however, as the ground suddenly fell away into a cliff. At the bottom began an immense ocean that reached far past what the eye could see. And, about halfway to the horizon, I saw a ship. It was moving quickly, suggesting it was chasing something, but nothing was in its path on the sea. Then I glanced higher as a high-pitched cry – like that of a bird – pierced the air. "Link? What's that?" I asked, nodding my head towards the giant bird the ship was following. It was carrying a girl about Link's age in its talons then, but as it was hit with a cannonball from the ship, it loosened its hold. I watched Link trace the path she took but, before he could watch her hit the ground I grabbed him by the arm and began dragging him, saying, "I know where she's landing. Just follow me."

Link let out an indignant cry as I pulled on his shoulder. Ignoring this, however, I began running to where the girl had landed, pulling out my sword again. I expected the bird to try to grab her again, and felt a strange sensation of blood lust. Yet the feeling seemed natural.

Who am I?

Link's POV

I tried to keep up with Shadow's quick pace, but the outfit my grandmother had given me was slowing me down. It was too hot and stuffy to be wearing something like it! But I had to… It was tradition.

I pushed the thought away, though. Instead my mind wandered towards Shadow. She was strange… different… She seemed kind of dark, and not because her clothes were black. As she had started leading me towards where she thinks the girl landed I had seen a flash in her eyes, blood lust. And that idea caused me to move to the thought of her eyes. I knew red eyes weren't normal… So why were hers that color? And not the bright red that might be even slightly possible. No, they were a darker color, like blood, and they glowed. Actually _glowed_. It was kinda off-setting.

Then her name. So idiotically simple. I wondered if she thought of it, or someone else made it up. Who could be so unimaginative as to make up the name Shadow for a girl that wears black and is at least a little bit evil?

I honestly hoped she hadn't made it up. I had this feeling in my gut that I'd be spending a long time around her, and I didn't want to hang around an idiot.

Caught up in my thoughts, I didn't notice the monster until I nearly crashed into it. With a flash of black and an explosion of purple mist, Shadow stood in front of me, a grin on her face. "Watch where you're going, hat boy," she teased before whirling around, sheathing a darkened sword and pressing on further.

_How did she-?_ I thought, confused as to how Shadow knew I nearly collided with the creature. She had had her back to me, being ahead of me, so how did she know? I doubt it would've been there if she had noticed it before… Oh, well.

Suddenly Shadow stopped, looking around the small clearing, littered with tall, thin trees. She mumbled, "I thought she would have-" Then she was cut off by a creaking noise above my head. Instinctively, I jumped backwards, nearly missing being squashed by the pirate girl. She seemed dazed for a moment, then, noticing us, jumped to her feet and asked, "Who are you two? And what's with those… strange… outfits?"

I mumbled, "It's tradition," before another person appeared, clearly one of the pirates from the ship. He seemed overly excited to have found the pirate girl – Tetra, apparently – and he kept stumbling over his words.

After about thirty seconds of his babbling, Tetra snapped, "Let's get going, you blubbering idiot. We've got a debt to pay to that over-sized feather-brain."

The pirate froze, halfway through a word, then said, "Okay Tetra."

Tetra walked past Shadow and I, as if ignoring us, then just before she left, she froze. Tetra glanced over her shoulder at Shadow, a thoughtful look on her face, then shrugged her shoulders and continued on.

"What was that about?" Shadow asked herself before wandering after Tetra and the pirate.

I followed after Shadow, a sigh blowing out of my mouth. Then my minor frustration at her moved to the back of my mind as I heard my sister call out, "Hey, Big Brother!" She was about halfway across the bridge spanning between the two island sections. I waved a greeting at her, saying, "Hi, Aryll! What're you doing up here?"

Before Aryll had even opened her mouth to answer I felt Shadow roughly shoving me to the side, dashing out onto the bridge. It took me a few moments to realize what was going on. It happened in a few moments.

As Shadow reached my sister she called, "Get down!" Obediently, Aryll did as told and Shadow unsheathed her sword and lifted it over her head. She called out, "Din's Fire!" and a moment after a burst of flames erupted from her blade. It was then I noticed the bird was back. It recoiled from the fire, but it kept going. As it flew past, it plucked Shadow and Aryll off the bridge, one in each claw. Aryll cried out in shock, while Shadow just looked surprised. Then her expression hardened and she called out, "Farore's Wind!" A flash of reddish light was all that was left of Shadow a moment later, though just as quickly she appeared beside me, breath slightly rapid.

"What was that!?" I asked, looking at both Shadow and Tetra.

Shadow mumbled, "Magic…"

Tetra replied, "The Helmeroc King."

Both answers confused me in two different ways, but I ignored the confusion. All I did was watch helplessly as my sister was carried off to some unknown place, and all I could think of was if I'd ever see her again.


	4. Chapter 2

**Just so you know, I'm combining the old chapter 2 and the old chapter 3. The old chapters were so. Freaking. SHORT!**

Chapter 2

Shadow's POV

I stared after the bird, arms crossed in frustration at myself. I wished I could've gotten the girl free, too, as I assumed she was Link's sister. However, I didn't, so all I could do was watch. Suddenly, Link was behind me, asking, "What're you staring at?" causing me to jump slightly. At this point the bird had already disappeared and there was nothing left in the sky to be staring at, so I just shrugged my shoulders and said, "Sorry for shoving you earlier." I didn't wait for any acknowledgement, though, turning towards the approaching pirates, the sparks of the mysterious magic I had used earlier touching my fingertips. But I suppressed my anger; instead deciding I'd probably punch her in the face if she got on my nerve again. The pirate girl didn't notice me at first as I approached, then as I stood next to her she turned and glanced at me, asking, "What do you want?"

"What I want is to give you a nice knuckle sandwich, but it seems we don't always get what we want. So, instead of me giving you the beat down you deserve, I'm gonna spell this out nice and clear. You, take me and him," at that I pointed at Link with my thumb, "to rescue his sister from the giant bird you idiots dragged here."

For a moment she was silent, then she burst out laughing and retorted, "Why do you expect us to help you wimps?"

At that insult, my eyes narrowed and something heavy appeared in my hand. I didn't even think, instinctively reaching over my shoulder where another object appeared. In a matter of moment, I had an arrow aimed straight at the pirate girl's throat, with an bizarre magical blaze reaching off the tip of the arrow.

"Because, I could kill you in an instant, and I assume you value your pitiful excuse for a life, am I right?" I snapped back emotionlessly.

That caught her attention as she suddenly stiffened, staring at the arrow with wide eyes. "Your quite," she gulped, laughing nervously, "vicious," she managed to choke out, fear obvious in her eyes.

"You think!?" I growled. "I have experience in these matters, while I doubt you have very much."

Deciding she was taking too much time to agree to my terms, I loosened my grip, so that the string was only held back by my fingertips and the slightest twitch could fire the arrow instantaneously. And suddenly she was crying out, "Okay, okay, we'll take you to the bird, just don't shoot!"

Deciding I had sufficiently tortured the girl, I aimed the arrow skyward and fired, watching the deadly missile fly into the air in a steep arc before burying its head in the sand directly behind the pirate girl. This caused her to emit a squeak of fear and stare over her shoulder at the projectile, before slowly backing away from me. Her voice shook slightly as she told me, "But you need a sword and shield first!" before she turned around and ran to her ship.

Turning around, the bow disappeared from my hands and, with a small smile at Link, I said, "I got us a ride to save your sis." He seemed shocked, having witnessed the entire scene. But all I did was tell him, "But you need a sword and shield before that dumb pirate will let you on, so chop-chop."

Slowly Link turned around and headed towards one of the houses, leaving me to my own thoughts. So, I myself turned around, quickly finding a spot of shade, sitting in it to cool off from the blazing sun. _I'm used to the Water Temple… _Then I shot bolt upright. _What's the Water Temple? I've never heard of that place before, but I know about it already? How does that make any sense?_ But instead of dwelling on the mystery, I let my mind wander deeper into that void that used to be memories where only one word stood out. _Shadow._ But, suddenly, there was more, and I eagerly tried to snatch at the threads of memories that had wandered in, memories from another life, or… my old one?

_Suddenly another boy appeared in the edge of my vision. His reflection played across the watery floor, though my own did not reach the crystal surface. I myself stood in the shade of a long-dead tree on a small island, though my vision flickered between two images. One was an endless expanse of water, obscured at a vast distance by pale yellow fog. The other was only a small room of blue stone with a raised platform in the center. The boy moved further across the room, or endless pool, or whatever it was, ignoring me. He didn't even know I was there, and I found myself smiling as he struggled against the locked door opposite me. Suddenly he whirled around, blue eyes narrowed and blonde hair far from neat. Goddesses know how long he's been wandering around. And then he noticed me. He seemed confused at first, and he slowly approached me. He wandered a step too near and I lunged, my vision blurring red as I hit him squarely in the stomach. The last thing I noticed was our shadows. This kid had an obvious shadow and reflection, the water darkened by them as well as the blood dripping from his wound. But I had no such thing. Despite the water swirling around my ankles, no image of myself showed itself in the strange water, and there was no darkening around my feet that there should have been._

Suddenly I jolted back to awareness and instantly I ran from the shade, back into the sun. I glanced down at my feet, praying that there would be a shadow there, and…

There was none.

"Who am I?" I whispered, sitting down on the sand and staring at where a black outline of myself should've been. And, despite the earlier protests I had made, I added, "What am I?"

Link's POV

After a heartbreaking farewell with my grandmother, I finally had a shield. I had previously obtained a sword, which was how I'd gotten up where I'd found Shadow in the first place. I was ready to board the pirates' ship, but I was unable to find Shadow. It took a couple hours of searching before I found her. She was in a thick patch of shadows, only her glowing eyes marking her there. As I approached her, I noticed her shivering faintly, a small object clasped in her hands. She was muttering something under her breath, and at one point I heard her say "Hyrule", though why she'd be saying that confused me. She was crouched under my house, and when she noticed me she just growled, eyes narrowing.

"What do you want?" she snapped, shifting her position slightly. I sub-consciously stepped backwards, and a moment later I was grateful I had as Shadow sprang at me for no reason, revealing the item to have been a dagger with strange markings etched on it. Without a second thought I began to run, confused at Shadow's sudden change of temperament. But I didn't hear her following me, and when I turned around she was standing where she had landed from the first jump, staring at me with confusion. Cautiously I edged closer to her, then froze as she said, "That's exactly what he did…"

Once again I was shocked and I asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"I don't know," she admitted, shrugging her shoulders, her eyes still locked on the small weapon she carried. "I'm remembering something finally, but it's confusing." She briefly explained fighting someone who looked like me briefly, and realizing she actually has no shadow. This was a fact I had overlooked, since it just had never seemed important before. But now that she mentioned it, I realized she actually didn't. This girl is getting stranger by the second.

For a while there was only silence, then I asked, "What are those markings? On that… dagger…?"

Shadow glanced up at me from the corner of her eyes and said, "It's Hylian. It translates to 'Here lies Link, the _Great_ Hero of Time'."

"Wait… but my name's Link!" I said, sensing a slight twinge of fear. Then it turned only to faint annoyance as Shadow retorted.

"But you are no Hero of Time."

"I guess so…" I mumbled. Then, shaking it off, I said, "I guess we should go find that pirate girl, since I got a sword and shield now."

"Sure," Shadow said, slipping the dagger into her boot. Then, without a second glance at me, she turned towards the ship.

"Wierdo…" I whispered to myself, slowly following after Shadow.

* * *

><p>As soon as Shadow and I boarded the ship, the pirates cast off, headed to wherever the monster had taken my sister. Shadow seemed intrigued by the Great Sea, claiming she had never really seen it before, except for just after we met. This claim was surprising, though, for obvious reasons.<p>

"Never seen the Great Sea!?" I asked her, joining her at the railing. "How can you not have seen the Great Sea before? It's everywhere! Have you been living under a rock your whole life?"

"I don't know," she snapped. "If you haven't forgotten, I don't remember anything, except my name and this person I must've killed who looks like you."

I realize I must've gotten her angry, and I try to fix it by saying, "Well, it doesn't really matter, anyways," but it didn't work, and I only barely move my hand in time before Shadow buries her dagger, which she switched from her boot to strapped onto her belt, into the wood where my hand had been only a second before.

"Just shut up," she growls, glaring at me from the corner of her eyes. The edge of her mouth turned up in a snarl, and I caught the flash of what looked like a genuine fang, like a cat's canine. This seriously scared me and I took a couple of steps away from Shadow. Then her attention returned to the Sea as she pulled the dagger from the railing and re-sheathed it.

"She's quite moody, isn't she?" Tetra asks from right behind me. I suppress my shock and shrug my shoulders.

"There's definitely something weird with her. Earlier she was fine, joking around a bit even. But now she's… this," I reply, vaguely gesturing at Shadow.

In my head, I add, _It's as if she's supposed to kill me, but doesn't want to._ However, I pass it off as just my imagination.

_But if that's not the case, then what's really wrong with her?_


	5. Chapter 3

**Warning: Lots of blood in this chapter. Not necessarily gore, but lots of blood. Mostly the beginning.**

Chapter 3

Shadow's POV

_It was all dark for some reason and reeked of the metallic tang of blood. Then I noticed a light appear ahead of me. I could see something in the area the light revealed, but it was a very weak light. So I started towards it. Instantly I met resistance. I hadn't noticed until now the water washing around my ankles. But as I continued on, the water began to rise, and the thickness of the water made me realize…_

"_This isn't water," I whispered to myself as it reached to my knees. I bent down and dipped my fingertips into the liquid, and, bringing it to my face, it wasn't clear as I expected. It was a thick, dark scarlet. Now I knew where the smell was coming from. I was wading in blood! My pace quickened as I attempted to get out of it as soon as possible. I was up to my waist in blood before I reached what turned out to be a small island. I could finally recognized the object as Link. But he looked slightly different. Only faint variances to the one I knew. However, he looked just like from the vision or memory I had seen before._

_My eyes widened as he turned around, his own narrowing. I didn't know whether to scramble onto the island, or let myself go back into the lake of blood. But he didn't let me. He was turned towards me now. He glanced over his shoulder where I noticed a blue light was. I instinctively feared it, though I didn't know why until it flew towards me. As it neared, a searing pain overcame me, and I was forced to cover my face with one hand. I was unable to hold onto the island anymore, and a strange force dragged me away into the scarlet void as the fairy simultaneously forced me away. Then my grip slipped, and the blood pulled me under. It was several seconds before I resurfaced, and by then I was already drifting from the island. My feet were unable to reach the bottom and I grew only weaker as I tried to swim back._

"_You can drown in the blood of those you've killed," was the last thing I heard before my head slipped under the surface. I let out a silent scream as something began to pull me even deeper, preventing me from reaching air. Blood rushed into my mouth, and all my senses were overcome by the sharp tang. I could hear a ringing sound, and I knew I was drowning. I tried to struggle, but my efforts grew weaker and weaker, until I just gave up. I slipped into a peaceful darkness, and waited to just die._

As my eyes flashed open, I rolled over to my hands and knees, instinctively coughing. My whole body was shivering in fear. I had thought I was actually dieing. I could still taste and smell blood, but the thick feel of it was gone. What really concerned me was what the person had told me. Who have I killed? I closed my eyes, hoping to wipe my dream from my memory, but all that happened was the sensation of drowning returned. So I kept my eyes open. My breath was ragged as I slowly tried to relax, getting to my feet. I moved my hand to adjust my hat, but realized it had fallen off. I was about to pick it up, but then decided against it and left it there. It looked stupid anyways.

It was the middle of the night, though oddly enough it didn't look that way. Everything seemed crystal clear, like how a cat probably sees the night. Weird. Creepy dre-, um, nightmares, where I drown in lakes of blood, and cat-vision. I feel stranger and stranger to myself by the second. But for now I focused on the task of finding Link and Tetra. I had a rough idea where the captainess slept, but I didn't know where Link was, since none of the crew trusted me to even learn of the location of their sleeping quarters, let alone actually sleep in them, because of my 'episode'. I had been forced to sleep out by the railing. If I found out it's their faults that I had that nightmare, though, they'll regret that decision.

_Oh, well, guess it's my job to wake up all those sleepyheads,_ I thought, beginning my search of the ship.

Link's POV

I was awoken rather abruptly. Instead of shaking me awake, or something like that, whoever did it decided it would be funny to shove me off the bed. I let out a small cry of alarm before crashing on the floor. I jumped to my feet right away, glancing around to find the culprit. I quickly realized who it was, as Shadow was standing a couple of feet away with a smug look on her face. "You up, hat boy?" she asked. Without waiting for an answer, though, she turned around and left. I stared after her, once again confused by her change of personality. Now she seemed almost happy, though also a little shaky for some reason. Maybe she felt seasick or something simple like that. But, with her, I had a feeling very little was 'simple'.

Deciding better to get up sooner than later, I picked up my few personal belongings before following after Shadow. I could barely see anything when I stepped outside, it being midnight almost, but I could hear Shadow and Tetra talking. I went over to them, but they fell silent as soon as I got close enough to hear anything. All I heard was, "both of you…" before they cut off. Then Shadow turned to me and, grabbing my arm, said, "This way, please."

"I don't really have a choice, do I?" I mumbled as she dragged me across the ship. Then she shoved me into something that seemed a lot like a barrel. Then, as my vision adjusted, I realized it was a barrel. And, as I poked my head out of it, I realized what the two were planning.

They were going to_ launch _me!

Shadow gave me a quick half-glance before giving someone a thumbs-up. And before I could protest, the catapult released and we were sent flying.

When the barrel finally stopped, it crashed into the wall. That caused me to also be thrown into the wall. "Owww…" I mumbled before falling into the water. A moment later, Shadow hit the wall in another barrel, though she hit it backwards. She winced slightly from the sheer force, but she quickly wiped the look off her face, landing in the water next to me. I almost missed the small object Shadow suddenly tossed at me. I could hear Tetra through the strange object, but I didn't pay attention to it long. "Come on, hat boy. Hurry up," Shadow snapped, climbing out of the water.

"Stop calling me hat boy," I retorted, even though I soon followed after her.

"But your reaction is entertaining."

I was about to give another comeback, but Shadow clamped a hand over my mouth. She whispered, "There's something up those stairs. Don't let it hear us."

Then she started towards and up the stairs, slowing down near the top. She looked up at whatever she had heard or seen, then ducked her head back down. 'Monsters,' she mouthed, bending down to pick something up. It took several moments before I recognized it as just a rock, which she threw up on the ledge above the stairs right after. Then I heard the creature, whatever it was, up on the ledge. I quickly moved to stand by the stairs, pressing against the walls in the hopes that I wouldn't get spotted. I could just barely see a light appear on the water. I could make out the general shape of the silhouette, and unfortunately I also could see Shadow in it. I knew she was caught. _Great job,_ I thought, glancing upwards, even though I couldn't see Shadow. Now she got us found out, and who knew what would happen?

Shadow's POV

I knew Link would be mad at me for getting spotted, but he didn't know what I was thinking. As the monster moved closer to see what his light was showing, I waited. Just like several times before, he edged even closer, not knowing what this strange red-eyed creature was. Then it got too close. Before it could react, my dagger was out and buried in its throat. It let out a gurgling cry as an unexpected spurt of blood drenched me.

A sharp wave of fear ran down my spine as I recalled my nightmare, but I held my position until it was dead. Then, pulling my dagger from the corpse, I pressed my back against the wall, slowly sliding down until I was sitting, and waited for Link to climb up the stairs as well.

In the meantime, I just sat there shivering, wondering if this had some sort of meaning or relationship towards my dream. I could still feel the choking thickness of the blood of my dreams, and could almost hear the ringing again. I held my hand up to my face, then quickly snatched it back as Link started climbing up. I jumped to my feet, shaking off the momentary fear.

_It was just a nightmare,_ I told myself. But deep down, I knew it was more than that. I just didn't know what exactly 'more' was.


	6. Chapter 4

**Warning: Lots of blood in this chapter. Not necessarily gore, but lots of blood. Mostly the beginning.**

Chapter 3

Shadow's POV

_It was all dark for some reason and reeked of the metallic tang of blood. Then I noticed a light appear ahead of me. I could see something in the area the light revealed, but it was a very weak light. So I started towards it. Instantly I met resistance. I hadn't noticed until now the water washing around my ankles. But as I continued on, the water began to rise, and the thickness of the water made me realize…_

"_This isn't water," I whispered to myself as it reached to my knees. I bent down and dipped my fingertips into the liquid, and, bringing it to my face, it wasn't clear as I expected. It was a thick, dark scarlet. Now I knew where the smell was coming from. I was wading in blood! My pace quickened as I attempted to get out of it as soon as possible. I was up to my waist in blood before I reached what turned out to be a small island. I could finally recognized the object as Link. But he looked slightly different. Only faint variances to the one I knew. However, he looked just like from the vision or memory I had seen before._

_My eyes widened as he turned around, his own narrowing. I didn't know whether to scramble onto the island, or let myself go back into the lake of blood. But he didn't let me. He was turned towards me now. He glanced over his shoulder where I noticed a blue light was. I instinctively feared it, though I didn't know why until it flew towards me. As it neared, a searing pain overcame me, and I was forced to cover my face with one hand. I was unable to hold onto the island anymore, and a strange force dragged me away into the scarlet void as the fairy simultaneously forced me away. Then my grip slipped, and the blood pulled me under. It was several seconds before I resurfaced, and by then I was already drifting from the island. My feet were unable to reach the bottom and I grew only weaker as I tried to swim back._

"_You can drown in the blood of those you've killed," was the last thing I heard before my head slipped under the surface. I let out a silent scream as something began to pull me even deeper, preventing me from reaching air. Blood rushed into my mouth, and all my senses were overcome by the sharp tang. I could hear a ringing sound, and I knew I was drowning. I tried to struggle, but my efforts grew weaker and weaker, until I just gave up. I slipped into a peaceful darkness, and waited to just die._

As my eyes flashed open, I rolled over to my hands and knees, instinctively coughing. My whole body was shivering in fear. I had thought I was actually dieing. I could still taste and smell blood, but the thick feel of it was gone. What really concerned me was what the person had told me. Who have I killed? I closed my eyes, hoping to wipe my dream from my memory, but all that happened was the sensation of drowning returned. So I kept my eyes open. My breath was ragged as I slowly tried to relax, getting to my feet. I moved my hand to adjust my hat, but realized it had fallen off. I was about to pick it up, but then decided against it and left it there. It looked stupid anyways.

It was the middle of the night, though oddly enough it didn't look that way. Everything seemed crystal clear, like how a cat probably sees the night. Weird. Creepy dre-, um, nightmares, where I drown in lakes of blood, and cat-vision. I feel stranger and stranger to myself by the second. But for now I focused on the task of finding Link and Tetra. I had a rough idea where the captainess slept, but I didn't know where Link was, since none of the crew trusted me to even learn of the location of their sleeping quarters, let alone actually sleep in them, because of my 'episode'. I had been forced to sleep out by the railing. If I found out it's their faults that I had that nightmare, though, they'll regret that decision.

_Oh, well, guess it's my job to wake up all those sleepyheads,_ I thought, beginning my search of the ship.

Link's POV

I was awoken rather abruptly. Instead of shaking me awake, or something like that, whoever did it decided it would be funny to shove me off the bed. I let out a small cry of alarm before crashing on the floor. I jumped to my feet right away, glancing around to find the culprit. I quickly realized who it was, as Shadow was standing a couple of feet away with a smug look on her face. "You up, hat boy?" she asked. Without waiting for an answer, though, she turned around and left. I stared after her, once again confused by her change of personality. Now she seemed almost happy, though also a little shaky for some reason. Maybe she felt seasick or something simple like that. But, with her, I had a feeling very little was 'simple'.

Deciding better to get up sooner than later, I picked up my few personal belongings before following after Shadow. I could barely see anything when I stepped outside, it being midnight almost, but I could hear Shadow and Tetra talking. I went over to them, but they fell silent as soon as I got close enough to hear anything. All I heard was, "both of you…" before they cut off. Then Shadow turned to me and, grabbing my arm, said, "This way, please."

"I don't really have a choice, do I?" I mumbled as she dragged me across the ship. Then she shoved me into something that seemed a lot like a barrel. Then, as my vision adjusted, I realized it was a barrel. And, as I poked my head out of it, I realized what the two were planning.

They were going to_ launch _me!

Shadow gave me a quick half-glance before giving someone a thumbs-up. And before I could protest, the catapult released and we were sent flying.

When the barrel finally stopped, it crashed into the wall. That caused me to also be thrown into the wall. "Owww…" I mumbled before falling into the water. A moment later, Shadow hit the wall in another barrel, though she hit it backwards. She winced slightly from the sheer force, but she quickly wiped the look off her face, landing in the water next to me. I almost missed the small object Shadow suddenly tossed at me. I could hear Tetra through the strange object, but I didn't pay attention to it long. "Come on, hat boy. Hurry up," Shadow snapped, climbing out of the water.

"Stop calling me hat boy," I retorted, even though I soon followed after her.

"But your reaction is entertaining."

I was about to give another comeback, but Shadow clamped a hand over my mouth. She whispered, "There's something up those stairs. Don't let it hear us."

Then she started towards and up the stairs, slowing down near the top. She looked up at whatever she had heard or seen, then ducked her head back down. 'Monsters,' she mouthed, bending down to pick something up. It took several moments before I recognized it as just a rock, which she threw up on the ledge above the stairs right after. Then I heard the creature, whatever it was, up on the ledge. I quickly moved to stand by the stairs, pressing against the walls in the hopes that I wouldn't get spotted. I edged from the wall just enough to catch glimpse of Shadow, and I could distinctly make out her outline against the light. I knew she was caught. _Great job,_ I thought, pressing my back against the wall again. Now she got us found out, and who knew what would happen?

Shadow's POV

I knew Link would be mad at me for getting spotted, but he didn't know what I was thinking. As the monster moved closer to see what his light was showing, I waited. Just like several times before, he edged even closer, not knowing what this strange red-eyed creature was. Then it got too close. Before it could react, my dagger was out and buried in its throat. It let out a gurgling cry as an unexpected spurt of blood drenched me.

A sharp wave of fear ran down my spine as I recalled my nightmare, but I held my position until it was dead. Then, pulling my dagger from the corpse, I pressed my back against the wall, slowly sliding down until I was sitting, and waited for Link to climb up the stairs as well.

In the meantime, I just sat there shivering, wondering if this had some sort of meaning or relationship towards my nightmare. I could still feel the choking thickness of the blood, and could almost hear the ringing again. I held my blood-smeared hand up to my face, then quickly snatched it back as Link started climbing up. I jumped to my feet, shaking off the momentary fear.

_It was just a nightmare,_ I told myself. But deep down, I knew it was more than that. I just didn't know what exactly 'more' was.


	7. Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Link's POV

I blinked open my eyes and the first thing I heard was a splash a short distance away. I leaned over the side of the… Boat? I looked to the side and fell off the boat in surprise. When I resurfaced its head was turned to face me and said, "This isn't the time to take a swim!"

When I looked up, though, a circle of seagulls was spinning around a short distance away. I ignored the boat and swam off to see what the seagulls were fighting over. When I got there I couldn't recognize the person though they seemed very familiar. I dragged the body to shore and tried to wake them up. I tried to think of who it reminded me of, and then it snapped. "Shadow! Shadow! Wake up!"

She was very still and she wasn't breathing. This was definitely a bad sign. The odd thing was she had no apparent wounds other than ones she had had before. Then I looked to her sword, held tightly in hand. I noticed something odd. A dark-colored ball of light hovered and span around the blade before seemingly turning towards me. Then I really got scared. _It talked!_

"Help! Help my friend! She's been hurt!"

I rubbed my eyes and asked, "First, who are you?"

The little light flew over and hovered inches from my face. She said, "I'm Nieka, Shadow's fairy partner. And who are you?"

I looked at Nieka for a while longer before making out the shape of a small, dragonfly-winged person. Her skin was just like any normal human's and she pretty much looked like a miniature Shadow, except for the dress. Shadow would _never_ wear a dress.

Then the little thing punched me on the top of my head. "Yep," I mumbled. "Definitely a mini Shadow!"

Nieka folded her arms and growled, "I asked you a question!"

"Link. Shadow's friend," I answered, bowing in mock respect.

"Ow!" I laughed, rubbing my head. Nieka yelled, "Just help Shadow!"

"How?"

"Simple as kill stuff," the fey replied. "When you kill enough then the dark aura inside the creatures you had killed should heal Shadow."

I looked at the fairy for a second then asked, "What is Shadow? She's obviously not human."

Nieka glanced back at me and said, "Follow me."

I let myself be guided by the orb of light until we ended up on the other side of the island, Shadow's sword in my hand. Many people had asked what kind of sword it was, but I had just kept following Shadow's fairy. Now that I could stop in this secluded area I could study it thoroughly. The blade was made of obviously-fine-quality black steel and the hilt was dark gray. When I looked at the gem that I had felt on the hilt while walking here, I was surprised at what I had found. I had expected it to be black or dark gray like the rest of her equipment, but instead it gleamed pure white. The fairy flew over and she looked at the gem from all angles to make sure it wasn't a trick of the light. As she examined it I glanced at the base of the hilt where a smaller gem the same pure white lay ingrained into the hilt.

"This is _really_ bad," Nieka whined after looking over the second gem.

I glanced at her in question and asked, "Why?" and she said, "Both those gems should be black. The one at the base of the hilt represents Shadow and the one at the bottom of the sword shows the dark aura inside the blade. When the one showing the aura inside the blade is white it means it has nothing. When Shadow's is white…"

I didn't even bother pushing her anymore. I could guess what it meant, and it turned out I was right. Nieka finished, "It means she's dead…"

"But what _is_ she!"

Nieka glanced at me and said, "It's a really long story, just to warn you."

I replied, "I just wanna know."

"Of course," the fairy sighed. "Well, if you haven't guessed, Shadow isn't from around here. She is from a completely different time of Hyrule, what you now know as the Great Sea. But Shadow was created for one reason only- to kill the Link of her time. Fortunately she didn't succeed but right before Link killed her the three Sages of Hyrule that Link had already released summoned her to the Chamber of the Sages. They debated what to do for a short time and decided on sending her here. When we reached Outset Island, though, I was captured by one of _your_ Ganondorf's minions. That's how she got here and you've never seen me before."

"But I had asked what she is, not why she's here."

Nieka rolled her eyes at me and mumbled, "Fine." Then she raised her voice and said simply, "She's your descendant's shadow." She continued to explain more about her friend. "The Ganondorf that created her made her from Link's shadow. She's the exact opposite of him except her determination to complete her task and her strength. She also has an insane amount of courage like you and your relatives. There are a few other similarities, but there are even more differences."

I glanced at Shadow's sword and thought of what I now knew she was. Simply and utterly a shadow. "What killed her?"

"Ganondorf. He used what little light magic he knew to cast a ball of light energy around her, destroying her spirit. Unless you bring it back with her sword."

I tightened my grip on Shadow's sword and set off to find something to fight to save my friend. Anything.

Half an hour of fighting. Who knew it could be so hard! Nieka kept yelling at me about how Shadow could've done three times as much in half the time until I grabbed her by one of her wings and said, "Because, as you said, Shadow was made to kill."

The fairy finally shut up, and I eventually fell asleep, entirely worn from my fighting. I knew I'd finish eventually. But would it be soon enough for Shadow?


	8. Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Link's POV

"Aaah!"

I dodged out of the way of an Octoroc's projectile right before it hit my leg. I instinctively span around and swung my sword at it, cleaving it neatly into two pieces.

The blade absorbed the Octoroc until nothing was left. I had eventually gotten used to it so now I just went onto the next foe. I glanced at the hilt and noticed the smaller gem was a hopeful-looking dark gray. Nieka told me, "Three or four more of those things should fill the sword!"

Suddenly I was knocked off my feet when something landed behind me. When I got back up and looked back I mumbled, "Or one of these!"

The Dark Nut lunged at me, sword held out, only barely missing chopping my head off and instead tearing my arm to shreds. I was my right arm, fortunately, so I could still use my sword. I gripped it tighter and dashed at the enemy, swinging it to the side when the monster leaped out of the way. It stood for a moment longer, then collapsed. The sword absorbed it then blinked away. I glanced at Nieka and she said, "I didn't know it did that!"

I just shrugged my shoulders then froze as the ground trembled again. I glanced at the other Dark Nut then dashed off, trying my hardest to get away from it since I hadn't brought along _my_ sword.

I leaned against a wall, hoping the Dark Nut wouldn't catch me. Then I quickly jumped up and ran off as the Dark Nut looked straight at me. Then…

Dead end!

I turned around, bracing myself for certain death, but suddenly the Dark Nut let loose a blood-curdling screech and span around. It went flying at me suddenly and I only just missed being squished by it. The person standing where he had been was the last one I'd expected.

"Shadow!"

She flashed a one-fanged smile (_Heh heh…_ Creepy_!_) at Nieka and I then charged at the Dark Nut, swinging her blade across its face. She back flipped over the sword it swung at her so she was standing on it. Then she swung her sword onto her shoulder. She looked at it for a while, and then flashed her blade towards it until her sword quivered at its throat. She spoke to it for a few seconds in an unintelligible language before jumping off its sword and turning to us. She flashed one more smile at us before walking back towards the beach, the Dark Nut following her.

I looked at Nieka for a while and she commented, "I didn't know _she_ did that!"

I grinned at the fey and followed after Shadow, wondering what she was planning.

Shadow's POV

I saw Link from the corner of my eye but ignored him and kept an eye on the Dark Nut.

"You really saved my neck back there, but how did you get that Dark Nut to follow you?"

I glanced at Link then turned my attention back to the Dark Nut. He was blundering around like the idiots all of Ganondorf's monsters were. Then I turned my attention to Link.

"I know how to speak to them. As you probably know thanks to Nieka," at this I glanced at my partner, "I was one of Ganondorf's minions centuries ago. I usually was around these idiots and learned how to talk to them. And how to get them to do what you want, whether _they_ like it or _not_."

Link asked, "What did you tell it to do?"

"Not to hurt anyone else and never to go near nor listen to Ganondorf again if it can be helped on penalty of death. And, as he knows, I can make it _very_ painful."

Link nodded his head while Nieka hovered next to my ear.

Link looked at me and asked, "What did Ganondorf want you for?"

I quickly explained to Link what had happened, though leaving out the vision.

"Wow…"

Link looked at the water after I finished my story. I still remembered how I'd nearly died thanks to one careless action. Probably just one careless word!

"I never thought…"

Link seemed unable to finish a sentence.

"I bet you wish you hadn't let me live, don't you?" I asked, looking away.

Link replied, "Never. You're the best friend anyone could ever have!"

I turned back to look at Link who was looking out to sea again, then turned away, wondering what the Link of my original time did after I was gone.

The Hero of Time.

Link's POV

Shadow chased after the Dark Nut as it headed off towards some random part of Outset. I followed after her until she reached a ledge jutting over the sea. I asked, "Did it jump off the cliff?"

She replied, "Nah! It just built a raft or something and floated off. But how it made something strong enough to carry it is beyond me!"

"Well, should we stay on this island for the night or sail on?"

Shadow shrugged her shoulders and said, "Whatever you decide."

"Then I guess we're staying the night because I don't feel like sailing in the dark."

"Fine by me."


	9. Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Shadow's POV

I woke up to the brightness of the sun peeking through the window. I closed the shutters even tighter and got out of the bed.

I stretched and got up to put on my tunic. I could hear Link mumbling in his sleep in his room while I slipped on my clothes. I cracked open my door to the hall and went downstairs to find someplace to eat.

I left the hotel, telling the clerk that my friend would come out soon. I had given him the price he'd stated, 20 rupees, and left to find food. Fortunately there was a restaurant not too far that I'd heard of.

No, we're not on Windfall Island. Link and I had ended up sailing a little bit to find a different island. We'd even gotten a map of it thanks to a fish!

I decided to wait for Link to get up so I climbed into the nearest tree to wait. Luckily I didn't have long and about five minutes later Link came out of the hotel still adjusting his hat.

"Boo!"

I laughed at Link, upside-down and hanging from a branch, as he jumped about five feet high and two feet back.

Link asked, "What was that for?"

"You were taking a long time so I was getting my revenge!" I replied. I dropped to the ground, rolling in midair and landing on my feet.

"Show-off!" Link muttered.

"Ya, so?" I took off towards the restaurant.

The food was terrible, of course, but it would have to do for Link and I.

"Are we almost there?"

Link and I had been sailing for hours trying to get to Dragon Roost Mountain.

"Almost. You can see it on the horizon," Link replied.

"I wanna see it under my feet!" I growled, my already-short temper having been worn to near nothing after the horrible food and long sail.

Link didn't respond. He just kept an eye out for anything that could be a threat or one of those fishes.

This gave me plenty of time to think.

I couldn't think of anything but the Link that wandered without a shadow but was probably glad of it. I also thought of my stupid fairy. Of course, she was back to her annoying ways, pestering me about everything I already knew.

Why did I have to get the fairy along with the rest that came of being a shadow? Why couldn't I have gone without! It was bad enough being scared of light.

It was my one true weakness. Light…

Link's POV

I looked over my shoulder to see Shadow fast asleep. She didn't look like she could harm me right now, but I couldn't help but remember that she'd killed my descendant. Fairies were the only reason I was around right now.

I shook Shadow awake as soon as we were at Dragon Roost Island though.

"Huh? What? Can't I have five more minutes?"

I laughed at her and said, "We're here!"

She jumped off the boat and yelled, "Finally!"

I ran towards a large building as she started going up the mountain. She had said she'd start the temple while I talked to the people on the island. It was boring but it would mean probably half the temple would be done by the time I got done.

Shadow's POV

I swung my new grappling hook around in circles. I had Link's looped around my shoulder and was waiting for the kid. Then I could hear him running up the stairs. He was panting pretty hard so he must've only gotten in the temple a few minutes ago and had run the whole thing.

When he saw me he panted, "How… did you get… so far… so fast…?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I have my ways!"

I jumped off the pole I was sitting on and, after on the other side of the gap, chucked Link's grappling hook at him, knocking him square in the head. He fell over, yelling, "OOWWW!"

I laughed at him, waved, and turned to continue to the boss chamber.

Link's POV

I muttered under my breath when I saw the scattered chains and gigantic lock.

"Why!"

Shadow must've already gone into the boss room and I could hear loud roars, feel the ground shaking beneath my feet, and all the other signs of an apparent boss battle. I tried to open the door but quickly pulled back. _Stupid door. Must be a lava boss because the door's too hot to touch. _I tried to be angry at Shadow for being so stupid, but all I felt was worry for my friend. If she was done for, I would never forgive myself for not stopping it.


	10. Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Shadow's POV

I closed one eye and swung my grappling hook around in circles. I already had burn scars from the lava that the stupid lava bug kept tossing around but I ignored the pain and tossed my hook, willing it to catch Valoo's tail. I tugged the rope and smiled when it didn't come back like the past several times I had thrown the stupid rope.

I heard Valoo roar in discomfort at his tail being tugged like this but the ground above the boss crumbled and fell. The insect crumpled beneath it and I thought it was over. But _boy_ was I wrong!

The monster bug exploded from the magma, pushing the piece of earth Valoo had moved back where it had been.

I jumped backwards, just barely missing getting hit by _another_ glob of lava. I growled at it and swung my grappling hook at Valoo's tail again, catching it once more and smothering the boss. I repeated this a few more times until I finally killed it, though I felt half-defeated. I collapsed to the ground right as Link opened the door, it having cooled already. He ran over to me and asked, "What happened!"

I coughed once before replying, "I beat the lava bug!"

Link laughed at my reply before asking, "Why do you look so beat up?"

I smiled and said, "The _lava _got _me_!"

Link smiled back and turned to face the center of the room. A small, swirling wind had started and he asked, "You have enough strength to get to the middle of the room?"

I simply nodded my head and got to my feet, limping to the wind portal.

Link's POV

I stepped into the circle of wind and felt myself get picked up by it. A second later I disappeared only to reappear outside of that deadly temple. I watched Shadow appear next to me and slump to the ground again, her body having been pushed to the limit probably. Some of her burns were already gone but the gem at the top of the hilt was pure white so it couldn't heal her anymore for the moment. I dropped a bottle of red potion onto the ground for her right before Komali and Medli came over, seeing us. They started thanking me for helping Valoo and all that stuff and Komali handed me the Din's Pearl after. This surprised me, for the Pearl was probably his most precious possession, but I still managed to tell them, "It was Shadow who did it."

"Who?" Both of the Ritos looked at me in confusion.

I gestured at the black-garbed girl. She glanced at the Ritos then turned to me, asking, "Really? You didn't tell them about me?"

"Sorry. I forgot."

She just rolled her eyes and laughed at me and said, "Sometimes you talk too much. Who would've thought it possible for you to talk too little!"

I nodded my head in thanks to Prince Komali and Medli and turned back to the King of Red Lions, waving behind me to the two Ritos.


	11. Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Shadow's POV

I grinned at Link and lay back against the rail of the King of Red Lions. I had gotten used to the swaying of the boat and the sheen of the sun bouncing off the water, but I still wasn't used to the fact that Hyrule either wasn't anywhere _near_ here or was lost forever. The place I'd known all my short life as home had been snatched away from me all because of my creation and the cause of it. To destroy the Hero of Time, the Link of _my_ time.

But now I had to think, did I _want_ to go back to Hyrule? I was considered a demon there. Here, even those who _knew_ I was a shadow, nothing more than a dark beast created for the sole purpose of killing, treated me like their dearest friend.

I glanced at Link again and muttered, "Are we almost at the last Tri Island?"

The Hero looked ahead, covering his eyes with one hand, and replied, "It'll only be a little while longer."

I growled under my breath and started running a few bits of magic I knew through my head, trying to think of something to speed us up. I thought of Farore's Wind, but I didn't have a checkpoint in this time and didn't want to risk anything bad happening because of that. Din's Fire was not an option. I'd never hear the end of it from our 'boat'. Nayru's Love was nothing more than a protection spell, but I knew more than that. I just had to think hard. Then I got it. I faced the back of the boat, feeling the dark energy forming on my fingertips. I slowly lifted one hand and it naturally followed the curve and swell of the waves, under its own influence. I closed my eyes and felt my hand moving faster and harder and when I blinked those crimson orbs open again the water lashed behind us like a wild, untamable beast. But I knew the trick to making them calm. My hand continued to follow the motion of the waves and it slowly calmed until the waves were pushing us swiftly towards the last Tri Island.

I let my hand drop, hearing the waves that brushed past us lapping at the shore until the water was calmer than a lamb. I felt the rocking of the King of Red Lions as he slowed to a stop and could feel both his and Link's gaze burning into me. I could hear Link stammering something as if he was going to go mad. I smiled to myself at the shocked expressions of their faces when I turned around.

"What was that?"

I sat down at the end of the 'boat' and smiled to myself. "A bit of magic Ganondorf so kindly gave me when I was created."

Link just stared at me, mumbling, "But I would never… How could she… What in the world… I just- OW!"

He brushed the small flame that had appeared on his shoulder and asked me, "What was that for!"

I snickered under my breath and snapped my fingers, another burst of fire catching on the tip of his hat. He muttered under his breath and tossed his hat into the water, picking it up only _after_ the fire had run out.

Link's POV

I carried the Pearl up to the top of the Island and placed it in the statue's arms. A few seconds after it touched the stone the statue burst into a bright green and I dove over the short cliff behind us.

Shadow laughed at me and swung herself over the cliff as well.

I watched as the statue loosed its covering of stone, leaving a bright green woman in its stead. She held the Pearl over her head as it shot a golden light to another one and I could see the faint line of that one connecting to the third. The third statue connected to this one and in the midst of the triangle they had formed a large tower rose from the sea. Shadow and I ran to the King and heard him mutter, "The Tower of the Gods!"

Shadow and him worked together to reach the rising tower and just barely missed getting trapped on the stone that formed a circle around the entrance that rose right behind us. As soon as there was enough room to squeeze through the entrance, Shadow made one last wave push us inside the still-rising tower.

I watched a large stone head rise from beneath the water and water began dripping through its mouth. Shadow urged the King of Red Lions foreword with another series of waves and we jumped off him to get behind the trickle of water right before the trickle changed to a downpour of impassable water. I heard the King of Red Lions calling to us to tell us he'd stay outside the tower before the swishing of the 'boat' turning towards the entrance echoed around in the chamber we were in. Shortly after, the sound drifted away and all we could hear was the splashing of water against water.

Shadow and I glanced at one another and then turned to face a small entryway. Shadow went in first and glanced behind her to see if I was following.

With sword and shield at the ready.

I watched the door open itself, like most of the doors in the two dungeons we'd been in so far, and Shadow and I walked into the room. It was pretty big and in the center there was what looked like an alter. Shadow seemed to think there was something missing, so she went into the nearest doorway, telling me to go in another. "We'll get done faster," she told me when I opened my mouth to protest.

I just rolled my eyes and told to her to be safe before the door closed behind her.

I waited for Shadow to return to the center room with the third statue. I was about ready to go in after her when she came back out, carrying the last one. It hopped out of her hands and bounced to the lowered platform where it belonged. She smiled at me and tossed the Wind Waker back. I caught it in midair right before the portal opened to continue through the dungeon.

Shadow held back for a second before stepping into the pinkish light and being carried higher before disappearing from sight. I entered the portal next and almost got hit by a Beamos' laser when I reappeared. I saw Shadow roll to the side, her bow already knocked with an arrow, and she released the string when the Beamos turned its laser-shooting eye at her. She picked herself up and told me, "Beamos from _my_ time were a lot easier. And slower!"

I just rolled my eyes and glanced at the blue-and-gold chest that she must've opened.

I turned to face her and she held up the boss key, shining gold and red. She led the way through another door and suddenly, "Outside!"

Shadow ran past the blue Beamos, firing arrows behind her to destroy them and clear the path, and just jumped onto the red ones and stabbed an arrow into their eyes. I laughed at her and ran to try and catch up.


	12. Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Shadow's POV

I stuck the boss key into the giant lock and stepped through the now-open doorway, Link right by my side. I waited by the door as Link walked to the center of the room. A loud, echoing voice filled the giant room and spoke to Link. I didn't bother to pay attention. Instead I was looking for what the boss was.

My gaze finally rested on the stone carvings of a face and two hands. Only one thing reminded me of that.

"Bongo Bongo." Who would've thought that the Gods would use something so similar to one of Ganondorf's past minions? I definitely didn't. But I _did_ know that that was going to be the boss. I called to Link, "The face and hands are-!" but right before I could finish the stone carvings came to life. I watched Link stare at them in fear but I just aimed at the eyes that blinked in the palms of the two hands then aimed at the eyes on the face.

"So much like Bongo Bongo!" I muttered to myself. I pulled out one of my bombs when the face dropped to the floor, opening its mouth and revealing a hole the size of one of the bombs, and commented, "So you improved on him? Good. Good. But I'm still smarter." Then I threw the bomb into the face's mouth and watched as black smoke flew from its ears and nose. Then I barely dodged out of the way of one of the hands. I knew what waited off the edge of the platform.

Slow death.

I stood up again as it passed overhead and fired my bow at the other hand, two arrows flying from it. I aimed at the other hand but got knocked on my back by a giant fireball from the head. I winced in pain but dodged out of the way of an onslaught of those fiery projectiles. Then the head fell to the ground, more arrows poking out of its eyes.

Link threw one of his own bombs into the boss's mouth and jumped out of the way as it crashed to the ground in the center. The hands and face slowly hovered through the air until they slipped back to where they had come from. I winced in pain when I stood up and pulled out one of my bottles. I pulled the cork out and a glowing pink ball of light flew from the bottle. As it healed me I remembered something from my time. I grabbed another bottle and opened it. Another fairy came out of it but this one was blue.

"What are you!" it screamed as it chased me around the room, trying to hit me.

"Sorry, Navi! Sorry!" I ducked under the ball of light as it flew like an arrow past where my head had been.

Link watched us and asked, "What's that?"

Navi flew over to Link and asked, "Would you happen to know where the Hero of Time is?"

Link's expression became even more confused and he said, "I don't know. He's long been dead."

The fairy's wings froze in midair, obviously shocked. "But… But I had been talking to him only a couple weeks ago. How could he have…?"

I told the fairy, "I forgot I'd stuffed you in a bottle when the Sages warped me through time so you went with me and this is one of Link's descendants, The Hero of the Winds."

Link and Navi repeated the same question, "What are you?" Link to Navi and Navi to me.

I said, "I'm Link's shadow. Ganondorf sent me to try to defeat Link once and for all but then Link almost killed me then the Sages took me to the Chamber of the Sages and warped me here because they said that 'I needed to help the Hero of the Winds' or something like that."

Navi's bright blue tinged red with anger and she began chasing me around again, yelling, "You're a monster! I'll kill you! Shadow's can't stand light!"

I tried my best to avoid her because I knew she was right. I couldn't stand even a light as small as Navi's. I only barely tolerated the healing fairy. It had still hurt.

When Navi finally gave up she just stared at the boy who had taken the place of the Link she knew. The hero of _this_ time.

Link's POV

I shrugged my shoulders at the fairy and turned to Shadow and asked, "Are you okay?"

She just nodded her head and said, "That healing fairy took care of the burn and Navi didn't get me. Shouldn't we get going, though?" she asked, gesturing towards the center of the room.

That's when I noticed the bright portal in the center of the room. I began to walk over to it when I heard Shadow laugh at Navi and dash past me into the portal. She was picked up by it just like the wind portals and disappeared right before Navi reached her.

A short while later the light ball and I left the Tower of the Gods to see Shadow in the King of Red Lions only inches from a yellow glowing portal. Shadow watched me climb onto the 'boat' and the King crossed those last few inches into the portal.

Instantly water began to pour into the King as he began to sink. Shadow muttered some strange words, though I don't know why. Navi and I panicked.

When the water was over my head I tried my hardest to hold my breath until my lungs were about to burst. I let my breath out and sucked in another though I expected to just get a mouthful of water. Instead the dizziness in my head and the pounding of my heart started to weaken until I realized I could breathe under the water.

Shadow laughed at me and I saw bubbles come out her mouth. She said, "You've got to learn to expect these things," before pulling out her sword and twirling it through the water.


	13. Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Shadow's POV

When I felt a cold breeze blowing wisps of my hair around my face and in my eyes I thought we must've come back to the surface. What was over the railing of the King was something completely different but so familiar.

_Hyrule!_

My home, my land, hidden under thousands of gallons of water. "Why?" I muttered under my breath as we came to a stop in a small pool of water inside the walls of Hyrule Castle.

I'd only seen it once and that was when Ganondorf had told me to wait in the Water Temple, but I still recognized it. After that I had only seen Lake Hylia and part of Hyrule Field.

I ran off the 'boat' and dashed into the castle, ready to kill anything that stood in my way. I had to find someone alive. Someone Hylian. Someone familiar. Even Link, the person who nearly killed me as I spat in his face about my alliance. Even if he finished what he started.

Link followed behind me and glanced at me once before heading down a short flight of stairs. I looked around myself at all the Moblins and Dark Nuts that wandered Hyrule Castle. But all was frozen in time other than the four living things that had just came from above the sea. I pulled out my shield and, taking advantage of the helplessness of the monsters, killed every last one.

Link's POV

I cringed as I watched Shadow kick down the frozen body of a Dark Nut and growl at it in frustration. I wonder why this place affected her so much. I decided not to dwell on that thought and ran down the now-open flight of stairs.

At the base, I saw several statues and stained glass windows. In the center was a pedestal with sword that I knew, even in this world of no color, had a bright blue hilt and a strong silver blade.

_The Master Sword!_

I came closer to that sword of legends.

_If I pulled it out, would _I_ become no more than a legend, like the ancient hero that carried it on his journey?_

I grabbed the hilt of the blade of evil's bane.

_What happens if I get warped through time or dimensions, like the Hero of Time, or Shadow?_

I tighten my grip, preparing to pull the sword from its sheath.

_What happens to Shadow?_

I pull once. It shifts its position but doesn't come all the way out.

_If the Master Sword is here then this place must be…_

I pull the Master Sword out of the stone and right then it dawns on me.

_We're in Hyrule. The one that Shadow once knew._

Shadow's POV

I watched as color washed the castle and stared at the blood that now flowed freely from the wounds of the monsters.

I go over to the wall of the castle and lean against it, rage at Ganondorf and loneliness threatening to drown me. I drop my sword and bang my fist against the wall, leaving a decent dent in the ancient stone. Someone comes up to me from the edge of my vision and I clench my teeth, ready to kill it if it was another monster. When I looked at the creature, though, it's just Link.

The Hero of the Winds.

His gaze flicked between the dent in the wall and my face. I stare him in the eye before slamming my hand into the wall again, making the dent bigger.

"Where has everyone gone?" I spit through gritted teeth. "Where in Hyrule has everyone gone!" But I know the answer.

Link places his hand on my shoulder but I wrench it out of his grasp, baring my teeth at him. I look above me and growl to the goddesses, "How could you do something like this! Why are you torturing me like this! Not even Ganondorf is this cruel! I wouldn't even care if the Hero of Time came right now and killed me! At least I'd know!"

Link slowly lowers his hand and stares at me like he doesn't know who he's looking at. I'm all alone. Right now not even Link can stand me. No one understands me.

"I'm going to go see if the King's ready," Link suggests. "You should cool down a bit here." He turns away and quickly exits what used to be the glorious Hyrule Castle.

"No one will ever understand," I tell myself when Link's out of sight.

Then a strange and deep voice says slowly, "I do…"

I look around myself, picking up my sword again. I recognize the voice and I pull my shield out as well, dying for bloodshed but not willing to give my own.

A black mist comes from the shadows to form itself into a familiar shape. I only glare at him, only dully aware that he's supposed to be dead.

"Dark Link. How kind of you to join me," I growl. I think of what he did, tried to kill Link, and realized that if either of us had succeeded then I wouldn't be here. Never have met Link. I just switch from shield held in front to sword ahead of me right as Navi floats in, obviously oblivious that Link had the Master Sword already. But when she saw Dark Link and I facing off she freezes in midair.

I cast a sidelong glance but when I face Dark Link again he's right in my face and I barely lift my shield to block a blow that sends shockwaves through my whole body. I almost scream in pain but hold it in, knowing all too well that if I scream Link will come in and Dark Link is a lot bigger and stronger. Link would be half as hard as the one he's faced.

I swing my sword at him to retaliate and grin when he clutches his stomach. Then I get an idea. I flip out of the way of one of his attacks and change my grip on my sword so I can draw my bow and an arrow at a moments notice.

Dark Link sends another blow at me and I lift up my shield, knocking the force of the blow back up Dark Link's arm. I quickly sheath my sword and pull out the bow. I knock an arrow and fire it at Dark Link, hitting him in the shoulder, the arrowhead embedding itself deep in his flesh.

He grabs his shoulder and opens his mouth in a silent scream. He recovers quickly but I have another arrow ready. I take aim and this arrow ends up sticking out of his other shoulder. Blueish-black blood oozes from his shoulders and gushes from his stomach. I fire one more arrow into his sword hand, impaling it, and then I prepare the final blow. My single dagger. The one that I had planned to kill Link with. I fling the weapon at Dark Link. It pierces through his black heart and tears out the other end, taking a hunk of flesh and leaving a trail of blood in its slowly lowering path.

Dark Link clutches at his chest and suddenly the blood slows then stops. Then I realize the hunk of flesh was more than that. I see it twitching feebly, still trying to keep up the rhythm it had carried inside Dark Link and pouring what little blood was still in it. Eventually it stops beating long after the blood stops pouring and Dark Link has fallen to the ground, dead for good.

I go over to yank the dagger from the wall and Dark Link's heart slides off the end of it, making a small splashing sound just like Dark Link had when he'd fallen.

As I leave the castle I lean against the wall outside and grin at Link.

Link's POV

Shadow refused to leave the castle yet, cursing in a language I couldn't understand under her breath every few seconds.

"Hylian," the King had told me after the first string of words.

After several hours of what seems to be no more than catching her breath she turns to the King and asks, "What have I done?"

He says, "Killed Dark Link."

Shadow shakes her head slightly as if trying to shake something off then looks at me and asks, "Is it true?"

I hesitate for a second before shrugging my shoulders, saying, "I think so."

"I'm nothing more than something made to kill other things," she says to herself. She looks at the ground for a while before glaring at the door to the castle. She says, "I'll never be accepted. I'm nothing more than a monster. Nothing more than a shadow."

I tell her, "But I'm still your friend."

She doesn't respond.

After a long while that lasted until the sun was almost at the edge of the horizon, Shadow climbs onto the King again. I follow after as Shadow sits at the front of the boat, waiting for us to be out of this empty world she once knew as her own.

Shadow's POV

We were in the Forsaken Fortress again. Like our last trip had been _**so**_ successful.

I raced after Link up the endless ramp that led to the roof of the Fortress. The Helmeroc King destroyed each segment right as we ran off it.

Just as we reach the top the Helmeroc lands in front of us. Link pulls out the Skull Hammer. I pull out the Megaton Hammer. Link hits the Helmeroc King's face so it rams into the wall to our right and just as it recovers I swing my hammer the opposite way, sending it over the ramp and into the water below. Link and I climb what's left of the ramp so we're on the roof.

Three chunks of metal begin to move towards one another but right before they lock together the Helmeroc King shoots out of the Fortress, thousands of feathers following. It stares me down, giving me the evil eye, before diving towards us. Or more specifically, me.

Link moves to get me out of the way but the Helmeroc reaches me first, almost grabbing hold of me. The only thing that saves me is I hold my sword in front of me and impaled its foot.

I yank my sword out of its foot before it takes flight again. I grin at the bird and let it dive at me. Right before it reaches me, though, I jump out of the way and grab its wing. I barely get on the top of it before getting smothered between the ground and feathers.

The Helmeroc King tries to knock me off as I slowly make my way from its wing to its neck. Wanna know what I did next?

I pulled a vampire on it.

It tried to get me off by using its foot but I was at that one spot where it couldn't reach. Its screeches of anger changed to fear and it even tried rubbing me off on the wall. I just released my hold and go to the side of its neck, returning to my former position at the back of its neck. A couple more minutes of this and it plummets to the ground, dead as stone.


	14. Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Link's POV

Shadow jumped from the dead body of the Helmeroc, wiping the blood from around her mouth. She spat out a couple of feathers and muttered, "Stupid birds. Can hardly get a proper bite in without grabbing half their feathers." Then she turns to face me and asks, "We can go now, right?"

I shake my head and say, "Follow me."

She goes over to my side but after a short while of walking up the stone ramp from the roof to Ganondorf's ledge she stopped. I backtracked so I was next to her again and asked, "What's wrong?"

She looked at the ground as if ashamed of herself and muttered, "He'll kill me!"

I tell her, "You're the strongest person I know. I doubt he _could_ without being left with some nasty scars."

She followed me the rest of the way up but was still very hesitant. We crept into the room on the wooden ledge and I pulled out my sword. Shadow glared at Ganondorf and pulled out her own weapons. When Ganondorf turned around he laughed at us for a few seconds and during that time Shadow had crept behind him, planning on backstabbing him. Unfortunately he simply flicked his hand to the side and Shadow was sent flying into the wall. He summoned a field of light energy that wasn't killing Shadow, obviously, but was definitely keeping her at bay.

I dashed at Ganondorf and jumped at him, sword held out, but when I opened my eyes he hadn't even flinched. I stared at him for a while until he smacked me out of the way. He laughed, "That sword is powerless against me. The power to repel evil has left it!" He continued on about how the sword was also a seal to his magic but it all blurred together as I lay on the ground trying to soak in what he was telling me. Then I heard someone yell at me, "Get up, Link!"

I looked up and saw Tetra trying to keep Ganondorf from me. She was fast, but not fast enough. In only moments Ganondorf was grabbing her by her throat and began to bring his hand up to finish her.

He stopped abruptly as a faint glow and humming sound came from the back of his hand. Then he started ranting on about some Princess Zelda. I heard Shadow call, "Zelda!" before two black-white-and-brown blurs flew past us. Moments later a red tail snaked into the room from one of the windows, I saw Shadow grab it, and then I was picked up and taken out of the room. I looked up to see Komali and the Rito postman, one carrying me, one carrying Tetra. I calmed for a moment than my eyes widened. "Where's Shadow!"

The Rito postman looked confused while Komali said, "I think Valoo got her."

I looked back and saw the large dragon deity flying towards us, the room we'd been in only seconds ago engulfed by flames. I could just barely see Shadow slumped foreword on Valoo's back, unconscious.

I sighed in relief and waited as the Ritos carried us to the Tower of the Gods. When we got there the Ritos dropped Tetra and I onto the King and then carried Shadow down to the front of our 'boat' moments before she woke up.

But she looked different.

I tried to think of what it was the realized that it was mostly her hair. Once solid black her hair was pure white. Another thing different about her was her gear. They were, instead of being black and dark gray, a shade lower. Dark gray and gray. She rubbed her head and said, "Now Ganondorf's done something. I know my tunic was black a while-"

Suddenly all but her hair went back to normal. It had definitely been Ganondorf's magic. But, as I said, her hair wasn't normal. It was still pure white.

Shadow leaned against the King's neck and said, "I'm still not normal, right?"

I nodded my head and asked, "How do you know?"

She just shrugged her shoulders and said, "I can feel it. Anyways, you're giving me funny looks."

The second half comes out a laugh and she laughs at me before we enter the golden ring in the water and descend back to Hyrule.

Shadow leans against the neck of the King the whole time and watches Tetra, saying, "I knew I recognized her. She's Zelda."

As soon as the King of Red Lions lands in the water Shadow jumps off the 'boat'. She mutters something, probably Hylian since I can't understand it, under her breath before jumping off the boat and sitting down at the edge of the pool, just staring at the water. Soon after I doze off again.

Shadow's POV

I stare at the water, one hand dangling in it, and eventually decide to wake up the others. I shake Link awake and laugh at him, "Lazy as ever, hat boy!" before going to wake up Tetra. I smile at her for a second and laugh when she visibly shivers. Must be my fang. I just follow Link and Tetra inside the Castle but when they go down below the statue of the Hero of Time I just go back outside.

Then I hear a loud crash a short distance away. I hear someone groaning in pain and mutter in frustration.

Then I see a green tunic.

I wait a second longer then realize it's not the 'little hat boy'. Another moment and I realize which Link it is. I slowly back towards the castle, looking for the King, but I can't see him. Then _he_ spots me. He pulls out his sword and shield and takes a step towards me. Despite my white hair I know he recognizes me. Then I realize what I can do. Get him back for nearly killing me. I gain an almost lupine form, the ends of my fingers change to claws, my teeth grow to miniature, sharpened daggers, and a feathery tail slowly waves from side-to-side beneath me. Even my ears change into wolfish ones. I grin at the green-clad warrior and dash into the Castle.

Link's POV

A half-wolf half-human creature runs into the castle and turns around a few feet from the entrance. It looks like something had been chasing it and a few seconds later I see what.

A boy who looked a lot like me- he had a sword, shield, and the green tunic as well as blonde hair, pointed ears, and blue eyes- came into the castle. He faced the creature and asked, "What _are_ you?"

I take a step back, not wanting to face whatever the monster was.

The creature replies, "_I am you Link. The _better_ you. Remember me?_" She goes partway around the Hero of Time so that she has more room and growls, "_Just _try_ to take me on. It'll end like last time!_"

Link turns to face the creature and replies, "I'll gladly switch it around, though. I'll make you suffer like I did."

"_Nah! You can't beat me. I can't be killed!_"

Right then I realized… The monster was Shadow!

Link pulls out a claw shot and aims it at Shadow. He pulls the trigger and the metal device grabs her arm and tries to pull her down so he can deal a quick finishing blow.

Shadow grabs the claw and snaps it in two while barely trying, though leaving a bloody, ragged hole where the claw had been a moment ago. She glares at Link and starts chanting something under her breath.

Link cursed under his breath and says, "Would you mind not repeating that. You know that it creeps me out." He glared at Shadow then charged at her, his sword aimed at her heart. At the last second, yes, it did go straight through her. But she looked kind of distant. Link noticed it first.

Shadow laughed but it didn't sound normal. It echoed around the room yet didn't quiet for a long time. Then she went from half-visible to pitch-black. She raised her voice so her chant could be heard by all three of us.

"_Shadows and darkness._

_That's what I am._

_My brothers have never seen_

_The light of this land._

_I'm the lone wolf of darkness._

_The last living death._

_Your torture will be painful._

_In the end, you'll find rest._"

The last word was a whisper and suddenly she thrust her sword at Link, though, it being darkness or whatever it was, it didn't leave a mark. But it still seemed to have hurt. He backed away, separating blades from bodies though only one had felt the pain of it. She smiled at Link as he keeled over from pain. He seemed nearly overwhelmed by it and I actually feared that she would kill him. She once again became solid and hissed, "_Like I said, I can't be killed._" She went over to Link's side and stared down on him before whispering something into Link's ear and then walking out of the room.

Link picked himself off of the ground and almost fell over again before he followed Shadow outside anyways but seemed slightly hesitant.

I just stared after the two, rooted to the spot. Eventually I followed them outside.

Then I nearly go into shock. Neither of them were even glaring at each other. Shadow was at the edge of the pool, completely normal, and the Hero of Time was talking to her as if nothing had happened.

"Sorry. I didn't think you even _could_ change sides, being Ganondorf's minion."

Shadow just nods her head and says, "I didn't think so either until he pretty much marked me to show he didn't want me anymore!"

Link responds by saying, "I thought you looked a little different."

I just stared at the two. They had tried to kill each other several times in the past and Shadow's arm was still bleeding plenty from the claw shot and now they were acting like the best of friends.

Then Link turns to me. He holds out his hand again and says, "Sorry. I didn't know she was a good guy. I didn't mean to tear up her arm so much."

Shadow's hand instinctively goes to her arm but she brings it back down to her side.

I hesitate then finally grabbing his hand. I said, "I didn't either. But we ended up being close friends."

I quickly looked him over, the first time doing so.

He has short blonde hair like mine, the green tunic, a sword to match his size, but his shield was made of wood. He had scars all over and the tunic was patched up in several places. But he also had the same blue eyes and same determined look in them. He was also taller than me, which resulted in him towering over Shadow, but he was obviously the same age as both of us.

Link turns partway around and asks, "How do we get off this island the castle is on?"

I reply, "You'll see!"

Hero of Time's POV

I glanced at the other kid, the one who had the same name as me, then turned around to go outside. There's a boat with a dragon-shaped head on the front. I glance at it, and then the head turns to look at me. I just shrug my shoulders. I've seen weirder.

Like the shadow girl actually not _killing me_!

Just then she dashes past me. She flashes her signature one-fanged smile at me and hops into the boat.

The boat glances at Link then at me. He asks, "Who are you?"

I reply, "The Hero of Time."

He nods his head at me and I climb on board.

The shadow girl, who I guess is named Shadow (_Very original, Ganondork!_), and Link climb on. Shadow keeps rambling on about 'our' adventure together- as in her being my shadow with me getting beat up by everything in sight- as the boat lifts up from the pool.

I wait as it lifts higher in the air then realize there's no real sky above Hyrule. Just water. What do I do?

I just stare at it, dumbstruck.

Shadow mumbles, "Don't hold your breath."

I glance at her but she just ignores me.

I ask Link, "What does she mean by that?"

"You can breathe under the water until we reach the surface."

Surface?

I just wait for us to get out of the water. A couple of times Shadow mentions things about the Water Temple but other than that, she's silent.

About halfway up I decide to ask Shadow, "What was that back at the castle?"

"Huh? What was what?" Shadow glances up at me from the corner of her eye.

"You mean you don't remember?"

Nope!" Shadow laughs at me then says, "Oh! I've been wanting to try this!" She closed her eyes for a second and as she does her tunic is tinged from black to dark blue. She looks down at her tunic then faces me and asks, "Do you recognize this at all?"

"The Zora Tunic," I reply.

She smirks at me then falls off the boat as though we weren't in water but in the air. But seconds later she swims up to us, performing flips and spins not even _I_ could do.

"We're almost at the top!" She winks at us then shot past us.

Seconds later we finally reach the surface. I stare at the tower above us and Link comments, "That's the Tower of the Gods."

I glance at him then look away, asking, "Where are we going now?"

"Headstone Island."

I just nodded my head.

I was getting tired and I tried to stay awake, but too many days trying to find and kill Shadow (_I regret it!_) and not getting any sleep didn't help. Soon I fall asleep, images of people I know and might never see again running through my head.

Link's POV

The dead of night is not a time for me.

Shadow, on the other hand, was actually swimming with her 'Zora Tunic' still. I hadn't really paid much attention to it but she kept diving for at least an hour and coming up fine, so it must allow her to breath underwater.

Then I started thinking of what would happen if I lost her. And only one person can quickly take her away.

Ganondorf.

I ball my hands into fists, ready to die against him to save Shadow. She was the only person that really understood what was happening to me. She pretty much went through it twice and now she was doing it a third. But Ganondorf could very easily get rid of her.

Then there's Link.

What was he doing here? Shadow said he had probably been hunting her down, so what if he tried to kill her now?

Shadow dove under the water again and I could just barely see her down there.

I had to get rid of Ganondorf, for Shadow.

Shadow's POV

I climbed onto the boat again when the sun began to rise and leaned against the neck of the 'boat'. I began drifting off before I thought of the perfect temporary name for the Hero of Time.

"Grasshopper!"

He jumped up right away and mumbled, "Romani? Am I back in Termina?"

The he glanced at me, still wet from my swim, and asked, "Did you call?"

"Nah! I was just saying your new name out loud."

He glared at me then shrugged his shoulders, saying, "It'll be easier to distinguish each other," as if he already knew why Link didn't have his name changed.

I pulled out my shadow version of the Ocarina of Time and started playing the Song of Healing. I remembered it better than the newly dubbed Grasshopper did. Once that song was over I began to play the Serenade of Water. When _that_ was over, though…

"Shadow?" Grasshopper tapped me on the shoulder and I opened my eyes.

"Wha- oh." Somehow the songs still worked in a way.

"Hello, Jabu-Jabu," Link said. "Sorry for any intrusions."

Instead of Lake Hylia, though, it was Lord Jabu-Jabu's cave.

He said, "It's no problem. But where did that Ocarina come from? I've not seen one in a long time."

"It's old. I've had it a long time." I reply. I prepare the Ocarina again and began playing Nocturne of Shadow.


	15. Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Link's POV

"The Forsaken Fortress!" I had a feeling this Ocarina was going to be more trouble that it was worth.

Shadow nodded her head and said, "Let's try Requiem of Spirit next."

And, of course, before I could stop her, we were already warping.

Shadow's POV

Link and Grasshopper were the only ones fighting this boss- a giant sand worm. I wish I could, but I had Makar to look after, even _if_ Grasshopper didn't want me to.

We had already gotten through the Earth Temple with Medli so now we had to get through this boss so Makar could restore the remainder of the Master Sword's power.

"Look out, Link!"

He just barely rolled out of the way of the giant sand worm's mouth. _Bleh!_ I don't know how either of them could _stand_ fighting creatures that try to eat you. Then I remembered Lord Jabu-Jabu and shivered visibly. _That_ had been disgusting!

Grasshopper (_I _love_ that name for him!_) caught hold of the, um… Was it an eye or a tongue? Well, whatever it was, Grasshopper caught it with his longshot and pulled out his sword again. One more hit did it.

The sand worm thing ducked under the sand for a few seconds then flew into the air. The really weird thing was that it turned to sand up in the air, but I decided not to dwell on that detail.

I held my hands over my head and saw Makar holding his Deku Leaf above his head to stop the sand from drowning him.

Link ran over to me while Grasshopper went over to Makar to check him. He obviously still didn't trust me fully. I bet he thought I might try to use him for firewood.

"Did any of those mini sand worms hurt either of you?"

I shook my head and laughed, "One tried, but I think now there's an extra one of them!"

I knew Link was just worried about me, but I knew how to take care of myself. The only thing _I_ was worried about right now was Grasshopper, who obviously still didn't trust me, and Ganondorf. Link and Makar approached the Triforce symbol that glowed in the center of the boss chamber. Link held the Wind Waker in his left hand. Makar was dragging his over-sized instrument behind him.

Each took a step away from each other, turned to each other, and began to play the Wind God's Aria. I could see Fado, the past Wind Sage and a former Kokiri, playing alongside Makar, but only a short while. At the end of the song he disappeared once more, probably to finally find his peace in death.

Link picked up the now-fully-charged Master Sword and flinched slightly as the blade began to glow. He held it above his head, and I began to laugh a bit on the inside. He looked a little funny like that.

When Link came back over to Grasshopper and I the whole Triforce symbol began to glow and Makar told us to step into the glow.

Link's POV

"1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8. We have all eight Triforce Charts, and one is right here! That must be what's caught."

Shadow yanked on the rope of the grappling hook again. The hook had gotten caught on something while trying to fish up one of the Triforce Shards. If you haven't already guessed.

She yanked one more time and the rope started winding up again. I just hoped the grapple was still attached.

Shadow fell back into the boat and said, "Who knew that was so _hard_!"

I laughed at her and said, "It's definitely not easy!"

When the end of the grappling hook came out of the water, I was glad it wasn't broken. It also had a metal chest attached to it. Probably _that's_ what had gotten stuck. Even better, when Shadow opened it up she pulled out a Triforce Shard.

Grasshopper muttered, "How many left?"

Shadow tossed the Shard to me and told him, "Seven!"

I could see him rolling his eyes but decided to just ignore it.

Shadow laughed at him, "It's none of _our_ faults that we have to get _eight_ Shards!"

He just growled back, "Yes, but it's _your_ fault that I'm stuck with you two."

Shadow gritted her teeth and reached for her sword. She stopped herself before a fight broke out, but just barely.

She spat back, "It's actually Ganondorf's fault. If he wasn't so obsessed with trying to kill you, I wouldn't even exist."

He dismissed the comment with a wave of his hand and retorted, "And I wouldn't have died four times."

I could see very clearly he was tempted to start fighting Shadow here and now, but I knew he wouldn't. He would be outnumbered, 2-to-1.

Shadow ignored him and asked me, "Which Shard is next?"

I pulled out the map of the Greatfish Island Shard and made a small 'x' in the corner. I grabbed the next map, Gale Island, and said, "This one."

Shadow leaned over my shoulder to look at it then grabbed the Wind Waker from my pocket. I didn't even notice until she waved it in front of my face. I tried to get it back but even though Shadow was smaller, she was a lot better than me in many ways, including staying out of my reach.

When we both stopped I was on one end of the 'boat' and Shadow was on the other. I heard Grasshopper laughing to himself quietly.

Shadow had one hand on her hip while she twirled the Wind Waker in her other and she asked me, "Just this once? Please! I've never used it!"

"Fine," I say through gritted teeth. "But just this once!"

Shadow smiled at me and began to play the Ballad of the Gales. "Hold onto your hat, Grasshopper!" was the last thing I heard before the tornado picked up the King of Red Lions.

Grasshopper's POV

Shadow tossed another Triforce Shard at Link and he put _wherever_ he keeps his stuff. I was talking with Navi about what had happened at the Castle when I showed up because she must've not been there and I haven't seen her since before then.

"Which Island are we at?" I asked Shadow.

"Two-eye Reef," she responded.

"How many more Triforce Shards?"

Shadow oh-so conveniently ignored me and instead began playing the Ballad of the Gales song.

When we were back on the water we were at the Tower of the Gods, though there was no golden ring, and I muttered, "I guess that means we have all of them."

Link held up the piece of the Triforce as the King of Red Lions instructed him to. The golden ring reappeared and the Triforce piece disappeared, a new mark appearing on the same hand with the lower right third glowing brighter. _Now he has the Triforce of Courage._ I glanced at my left hand, expecting _my_ mark to be gone, but it was still bright as ever, if not brighter.

The 'boat' began to sink lower into the water and Shadow kept firing her arrows to see how far they went. When we reached the bottom she picked up the arrows she'd shot and went inside the castle.

"What now?" I asked Link.

He shrugged his shoulders and followed Shadow.

She was sitting at the edge of the main statue. It was scattered across the floor in pieces except for the legs pretty much. She pointed down the hole underneath, calling, "Down here, hat boy!"

Link clenched his fist, obviously not taking kindly to her nickname for him, but went down anyways.

Shadow said, "You can too, Hero."

I glared at her but grudgingly obliged. I was curious, anyways.

Shadow's POV

I watched Grasshopper stomp down the steps then leaned against the base of the statue. I knew exactly who did this.

Ganondorf.

I went to the far side of the castle only to be stopped by a pair of lasers, but right as I reached it they went out. I heard Link and Grasshopper coming up, and I went outside.

_My first real sight of Hyrule._ I pulled myself up onto the side of the bridge and looked out on my homeland. I'd only known it for a short time as something real, but I had lived as long as Link yet only as his shadow.

I looked down at my right hand and saw the same symbol I'd always had. At first, as in when I first showed up at the Great Sea, I'd thought it was only a birthmark. Now I know what it actually was. It was an upside-down triangle, the upper-left third glowing brighter then the others. It was _my_ Triforce mark. I got everything Link had yet supposedly better. I'd still lost, and I was glad I did. I probably would be dead right now if I had. Dead by the powers of the sages.

Link and Grasshopper ran past me and began up the trail. There were a few baddies but we took care of them quickly. At the end of the trail there was a giant entryway, and in there was Ganon's Tower. I saw five doors, one sealed off with four pictures on them. I ran into the first room, telling Link and Grasshopper to each go into different ones.

The heat of the room didn't bother me. It only reminded me of a certain boss that nearly killed me. The lava bug…

Link's POV

My room looked like one you'd find in the Forbidden Forest. It wasn't too hard to get through, except for the wizrobe. It kept disappearing right before I hit it, but I soon gave up and just went on to the next room, putting out the last flames right before. What was there was the last thing I wanted to see.

Kalle Demos.

The big flower thing seemed exactly the same. The only difference with this fight was it was black-and-white. I reached into my pouch and found only the items I had at this point. My boomerang. The grappling hook. A couple bottles. Not much else. But it was enough against Kalle Demos.

I threw my boomerang, breaking several of the vines, and wondered what Shadow and Grasshopper were up to.

At that exact moment, actually, Grasshopper was waiting at the sealed doorway and Shadow was beginning her second battle.

I caught my boomerang when it returned to me and threw it again, just barely rolling out of the way of one of Kalle Demos' attacks. I watched my boomerang break the rest of the vines and the flower fell to the ground, bursting open.

I dashed towards the center of Kalle Demos and simply cut its neck, the Baba head inside falling dead. I was struck by a sudden dizziness and when I came out of it I was back in the main room, all my items recovered. I saw three glowing figures on the door and a fourth one brightened, each shape probably representing one of the bosses that Shadow, Grasshopper and I must've faced. The door crumbled, opening a new path, and Shadow ran ahead of Grasshopper and I to see what lied ahead.


	16. Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Shadow's POV

I. Hate. PHANTOM GANON!

I hoped this was the last time fighting him since Link _just_ got the Light Arrows. If only he had an _OUNCE OF AIM_!

I was forced to wait off to the side with Grasshopper since neither of _us_ had the magical arrows. I was getting bored though, and was tempted to take the Light Arrows from Link. I could tell Grasshopper was thinking the same thing, but both of us just watched.

When Link _FINALLY_ hit Phantom Ganon, he picked up his giant sword and threw it at the wall blocking our way. It shattered to just rubble, revealing the room where I could see Ganondorf was waiting in. Zelda was asleep in the middle of the room. Ganondorf probably knocked her out.

I asked Link just before entering, "What made you think of throwing the sword?" but before he could reply, Ganondorf turned into a giant pig puppet. I noticed the weakness – the blue gem on the end of its tail – right away. Link and Grasshopper, though, didn't. They ended up running around in circles for half-an-hour. They didn't stop until, finally getting tired of how stupid the heroes can be, stole Link's light arrows and shot Ganon's weak point. Though not without hurting myself with the light magic.

I tossed the arrows back at Link, muttering, "Stupid light magic." After that they quickly defeated the three different forms. Then we had to climb. And climb. And climb. Until we reached another chamber surrounded by pillars of water. This time Ganondorf didn't change forms. Link stupidly charged him and ended up a few feet away, probably knocked out. Grasshopper was quick to follow suit.

"You guys are such idiots!" I snapped, though I doubted they could hear me.

Link's POV

I eventually got up, my head throbbing and my sword missing. I quickly found it, though, Zelda threatening Ganondorf with it, though I have a feeling he was too busy with Shadow to really care. She repeatedly bounced in and out, stabbing him then getting out of range and repeating until he was on the defensive.

I pulled myself to my feet and heard Zelda say to me, "Wow. You're friend's really tough." Then she gave me the Master Sword, pulling out her own light arrows.

I joined Shadow in pestering Ganondorf but, after about halfway through the battle, Ganondorf knocked Zelda away, making her unable to shoot light arrows anymore. Shadow paid no mind to it, though, and she gave me the chance to help Zelda. While helping her, though, I suddenly realized Shadow had stolen my sword and I turned around just in time to see her stab it hilt-deep into his skull. She jumped off as he turned to stone and sighed in relief. I heard her say, "Well at least that's over." Then she turned to face me and flashed her signature grin.

Shadow's POV

I placed my shield back in its proper place, then, remembering the room was flooding, asked out loud, "How do we get out of here?" But my words were drowned out as water just crashed down on Link, Zelda and I. I closed my eyes, expecting to be knocked off my feet and pummeled to death, but realized I wasn't getting wet. A bubble of air surrounded us and we began floating. I saw Link and Zelda a short distance away. Zelda was floating up just like me but Link was trying to help the King who was standing on the floor. But I didn't move to help nor hurt Link's progress and the water pushed Link towards the surface. But I never saw it. I blacked out long before reaching the surface…


End file.
